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Biographies

Luis Alberto Moreno

President

Luis Alberto Moreno, a Colombian citizen, has led a profound transformation of the IDB Group since he was first elected President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in 2005, and re-elected in 2010 and 2015. As President of the IDB, he also chairs the Board of Executive Directors of IDB Invest, the Group’s private sector arm, as well as the Donors’ Committee of the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), an innovation laboratory for development.

Under Moreno’s leadership, the IDB Group has consolidated its role as the principal source of long-term financing for Latin America and the Caribbean, while providing cutting-edge knowledge and technical advice for social, economic and institutional development.

After taking office, Moreno embarked on a major overhaul of the Bank’s organizational structure and operations to make the IDB more flexible and client-focused. He initiated reforms that enhanced its social and environmental safeguards, introduced a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework, reinforced institutional integrity and accountability mechanisms and instituted a new access to information policy. In addition, the Bank adopted a new capital adequacy model, preserving its AAA credit rating, while optimizing the use of its balance sheet.

Moreno has also led a drive to promote more women to leadership roles. As a result, the IDB became the first regional development bank to obtain an EDGE certification, the leading global assessment methodology and business certification standard for gender equality. More importantly, the Bank has mainstreamed gender and diversity objectives into its public and private sector operations.

Milestones during Moreno´s tenure include: the approval of $4.4 billion in debt relief for Bolivia, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras and Nicaragua, the most heavily indebted member countries, in 2007; the approval of the 9th General Capital Increase, the largest expansion of resources in the Bank’s history, in 2010; the merging of the Group’s private sector operations under IDB Invest, in 2016; and; a replenishment of the MIF with historic contributions from Latin American and Caribbean countries, in 2017.

Under Moreno’s leadership, the IDB Group has played an increasingly prominent role in topics of global importance such as infrastructure development, renewable energy and the environment; climate resilience and adaptation; sustainable cities; digital connectivity and innovation; base-of-the-pyramid markets; and education. He also launched the Americas Business Dialogue and ConnectAmericas, two platforms that promote stronger business ties among the Americas.

Moreno has championed the IDB Group’s participation in hundreds of partnerships with governments, private companies and philanthropic organizations, mobilizing additional resources for every dollar of capital used. During his tenure the IDB has been recognized as one of the world’s most effective institutions in terms of agenda-setting influence.

Before joining the Bank, Moreno served as Colombia’s Ambassador to the United States for seven years. Relations between Washington and Bogota strengthened notably during that time, leading to bilateral assistance programs that supported a radical improvement in his country’s security and economic conditions, primarily through the approval of Plan Colombia – an ambitious program to fight drug trafficking and promote social and economic recovery.

Prior to his ambassadorship, Moreno had a distinguished career in business and government. As Minister of Economic Development, he carried out a comprehensive competitiveness agenda and was head of the Instituto de Fomento Industrial, Colombia’s public sector holding company. In the private sector he was the executive producer of TV Hoy, an award-winning broadcast news program, and a strategic advisor to major Colombian companies and foreign investors.

Moreno has received numerous distinctions, including Colombia's highest peacetime decoration, the Grand Cross of the Order of Boyaca; Brazil’s Grand Cross of the Order of Rio Branco; Spain’s Grand Cross of the Order of Isabel La Catolica; the Inter-American Dialogue’s Distinguished Leadership in the Americas Award for Social Equity; the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service; the Eagle of the Americas award from the Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America; and Latin Trade’s Bravo Business Award for Distinguished Service to the Hemisphere.

Moreno holds a degree in business administration and economics from Florida Atlantic University and an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management. In 1990 Harvard University awarded him a Neiman Fellowship for his achievements in the field of journalism. He has also received honorary degrees from Georgetown University, Baruch College and Universidad ICESI.

A frequent contributor of opinion articles in international and regional media, Moreno regularly participates as a speaker in public conferences and private forums on development issues. As president of the IDB, he is a member of the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum and Member of the International Olympic Committee.

He is married to Maria Gabriela Sigala and has two children, Nicolas and Natalia.